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Bani Information
Bani (Novepes sapiens) are relatively large, cheetah-like felines. They belong to the genus Novepes, of which they are the only existing member. They were initially described as a true species in the year 2210 with the name Acinonyx dulcis, which later evolved into Acinonyx jubani before finally attaining their current name in 2250, 40 years after their first description. They prefer a wide variety of habitats, though they favor semi-forested regions. They are most common in North Nordebo, South Nordebo, Gorskerce, and the Chain Island region. Bani breed throughout the year in estrus cycles of 2 months. Gestation lasts between 4 and 4.5 months, resulting in litters averaging 1 to 2 kittens. In rare cases, up to eight cubs may be produced. They are fully weaned at approximately 4 years of age, and are highly social. They are listed as "least concern" by the IUCN, due to their high population of 10,000 known breeding-age individuals (as of 3300). TAXONOMY Due to the uniqueness of the bani's origins, taxonomy was difficult. At first it was suggested they be placed on a completely seperate scale from naturally-occuring Earth animals. However, this was disputed, as they still carried the DNA of strictly Earth species. The oldest known name on record is Felis cerritulus, dating back to 2207 meaning "strange cat." This was later revealed to be a joke by the scientist who coined the name, Dr. Gary Richardson. The name was given before any fetuses had been able to survive past prenatal development. Three years after this name was given, in 2210, the first cubs survived past "birth," and were dubbed Acinonyx dulcis, meaning "sweet cheetah," a reference to the cubs' "very sweet little faces," according to assistant Anne Brown. The cubs given this name did not survive past 3 months, however the name stuck for further tests and experiments. Another four years later, in 2214, the dulcis name was refuted by developers; however, no new name was given. During this period, the public feared that the project had been abandoned, defunded, or otherwise failed. In 2222, new lead director Judy Hall and partner Paula Ward announced their new name, Acinonyx jubani, a mixture of the animal's two greatest contributors - the African Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and the American Cheetah (Miracinonyx trumani). Due to its closer genetic similarity to the African cheetah, it was placed in the same genus. In 2297, 75 years after their initial description and the year before they were sent to live in Neurde, they were given their true name - Novepes sapiens. They were placed in their own genus, though still belonging to the subfamily Felinae. They were written down after takeoff in 2298 as Novepes sapiens, and there have been no further name changes. Between the years of 2357 and 2501, three subspecies were described by varying scientists. SUBSPECIES Three subspecies have been described by varying scientists. CREATION In the process of the bani's creation, primary DNA intake was through the African cheetah, American cheetah, and humans themselves. However, to boost parts of their brains that were believed to be lacking, DNA from the African elephant, Domestic dog, and Orca. There are very few physical indicators for these influences outside of the brain, however. The only known leftovers are a shared love for water, and a single very doglike trait: tail-wagging when excited. It belongs to the subfamily Felinae primarily for its rigid hyoid bone, forbidding it from roaring but enabling the beloved purr. It also sports retractible claws, and they have particularly sharp ears similar to domestic cats. Due to the chromosomal dissonance of the contributing species (38, unknown, 46, 56, 78, and 44 in order of listing), many cubs did not make it past conception. However, after many years of testing, re-testing and re-re-testing, a perfect average was achieved solely by accident: 52. These cubs reached 3 months of age before passing, and so new hope was found. The first cubs to reach adulthood were fraternal twin sisters born in 2221. The sisters, named Procyon and Luyten, both reached adulthood at 11 years old (2232). DESCRIPTION Bani most closely resemble both kinds of cheetahs they draw from. They are closer in size to the extant African cheetah, standing 2-3ft at the shoulders. From head to tail-base they can be between 5 and 6 feet long, and they weigh in at 90-130lbs. SKULL, BRAIN, LARYNX, FOREPAWS The most "human" features of the bani's anatomy are the most important. Bani achieved conscious thought thanks to the brain which they inherited from humans - and, similarly, the brain''case''. Weighing approximately 3 pounds when empty, the bani has lost the feline "ridge" which connects its jaw muscles to its skull. This has rendered its bite force as far smaller than its predecessors, however remnants can still be seen in a tiny bump on the back of the head. This was traded in for a very large braincase comparable in size to a human's. The casing is very thin behind the eyesockets, however it grows relatively thick in the back of the head near the brainstem. Its teeth are also a combination of traits.Its lower canines and both sets of incisors are very African cheetah-like; however the top canines are thick and elongated, more similar to the American cheetah and favoring the appearance of a scimitar-toothed cat. Its premolars are relatively sharp thanks to both cats; however, its true molars are flat and ridged like a human's. The larynx of the bani also takes most after humans. As previously discussed, a fused hyoid bone prevents the cat from roaring but allows purring as seen in domestic cats. Tongue-shape more closely mimics that of humans, however, allowing for sounds that allow human languages to sound as they do, such as Ls, Ns and THs. Interestingly, the shape of the tongue also means that bani have adapted to putting their chin in the water and maneuvering the classic "lapping" completely submerged. Bani are notorious for being skilled copycats in terms of language, and the grandcubs of the first adults were known to be able to articulate full (if simple) sentences. The last feature inherited by humans is the long-fingered forepaws, which almost resemble humans more than wildcats. The phalanges, which are short and curled in a cat, have become extended and fingerlike. The dewclaw is now fully articulate and opposable, and lacks a "claw" at all. While bani do possess retractible claws, they are small and only fully protract in extreme panic or strenuous activity. A bani cannot consciously "unsheathe" their claws fully. Their forepaws work much like hands, able to pick apart toys and put together objects to create tools. A famous example is Perseus, a bani who learned how to unlock his door at night - though the only thing he did with this information was defecate on various equipment and personal properties. TEETH AND STOMACH As noted before, the teeth are a careful mashup of cheetah, trumani, and human. However, the habits of these teeth closely resemble that of elephants and humans. Bani have three sets of teeth throughout their lives; primary (deciduous), secondary (mesious), and tertiary (permanent). Primary teeth emerge at 5-6 months of age and fall out at two years, replaced by secondary teeth within 3 months. Mesious teeth fall out at 10-12 years old, and regrow within that same year, giving way to permanent teeth. Their incisors are cheetahlike, numbering only 6, as well as the two bottom canines. The two top canines are very trumani-like, being thick and conical with a ridge down the middle on the outer side. These top canines often protrude out of the mouth visibly. The molars are flat and ridged like humans', however the outer corners are sharp. The diet of bani ranges widely, most like humans. Unlike humans, however, they are more resistant towards foodborne ailments such as salmonella, e. coli and food poisoning, meaning raw food is not as dangerous to them. They can eat a variety of plants that are poisonous to other animals, such as chocolate, coffee/caffeine, grapes, and alcohol. However, they cannot digest garlic, macadamia nuts, and other smaller toxins. Lactose intolerance is relatively common, though far less so than in humans. COAT VARIATIONS C O L O R S Bani come in three basic colors; Tawny - the classic "cheetah" color, a sandy gold. Red - a russet color similar to that of a ginger cat. Black - black, as seen in black cats. These come in further mutations, caused by three primary genes - caramelization, dilution, and banding. Carmelization causes the hairs to produce scattered red bands, creating a deeper, "richer" effect. Dilution causes the coat color to come in paler, such as black becoming grey. Banding occurs when the hairs between markings become white, causing a silvering effect. Tawny * Chocolate (carmelization) Red * Strawberry (red dilution) * Isabelline (strawberry double-dilution) * Golden (red carmelization) * Flavistic (isabelline carmelization) Black * Charcoal (black dilution) * Maltese (charcoal banding) * Silver (maltese double-banding) * White (dominant banding) T O R T O I S E S H E L L Much like domestic cats, different colors can interact without "canceling" each other out. Tawny and Chocolate both "erase" any color under them save for white, which can result in a "pinto" effect. The following colors can interact together: Red + Black (classic tortie) Strawberry + Charcoal (fog tortie) Isabelline + Maltese (dilute tortie) Golden + Silver (rich tortie, featured above!) Flavistic + White (wildfire tortie) P A T T E R N S Mostly hailing from their cheetah roots, bani have several "layers" of spotting they can exhibit. Note that all cubs are born with spotting, however these genetics come in after they shed their cub fur. * Ticked - a lack of spotting altogether. Markings remain on tail and face. * Speckled - small scattered spots growing in density along the spine and on the face. * Flecked - even, large spots scattered across the body. most cheetahlike. * King - spots have meshed together into thick stripes converging on 3 long dorsal bands. * Abundant - thick, intermixed tabby markings with only smudges of base color beneath. M U T A T I O N S * Melanism - black with very faint or a total lack of markings, as well as prune-black skin and dark brown eyes. * Leucism - white fur with pigmented skin and typically blue eyes. * Albinism - all parts of the body devoid of pigment, resulting in very pink skin and lilac eyes. * Piebaldism - when albinism conflicts with base colors and they emerge codominant, resulting in an individual with white patches along with regular coloring. Eyes and exposed skin "overlapped" with white will become lilac and pink respectively. * Woolly - a mutation causing the fur to grow in unusually long and with a thick undercoat. SIZE Bani are relatively impressive cats, similar in size to cheetahs. They can reach 130lbs in weight in adult females, sometimes achieving 140 in the late stages of pregnancy. Smaller individuals weigh in at 90lbs. Females tend to be only marginally heavier than their male counterparts. Newborns are typically 1-2lbs in weight, though they can be healthy slightly smaller. Their backs have a small "dip" in the middle of their back between their shoulders and hips. They are 4-5 feet in lengh, and can stand to the same height when rising on hind legs. Their tails are between 2-3 feet in length. Their teeth are a touch longer than cheetahs, at ~4 inches long. DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT NORTH NORDEBO Bani in this northern continent prefer semi-forested areas with equally open fields and sheltered woodlands. They stick to freshwater sources quite closely. North Nordebo also houses the first and only known true civilization, the Dyotami River-Valley Civilization. Another large society lives here, called the Nahr Jungle Tribes. SOUTH NORDEBO Bani in this southern continent don't mind trees nor open sky, though they are slightly more adapted for open grassland life. They avoid the Silvagnam Forest and Abiete Wetlands, with only small family groups having settled there. This creates a split in population, as a small number of individuals are "cut off" by the wetlands on the Odes Peninsula. GORSKERCE On this island, connected by the Chain Islands, bani in larger groups tend to gravitate more toward the center, with the largest groups taking shelter in the foothills of the Heart-Peaks. Smaller groups radiate outwards, and most single bani can only freely wander the salty beaches. CHAIN ISLANDS Though small, a scattered population does live on the Chain Islands. These are strong fission-fusion communities, often traveling by primitive boat or - more dangerously - simply swimming between islands. Some islands can go without seeing intelligent live for years, while others have never seen life without bani. BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY Group Names Bani have several "layers" of social organisation. Single family groups are known as "glarings" or "packs." If there are two pack sharing a territory, home-den and resources, it is called a "Troop." If there are four or more tribes sharing a territory, it is called a "Clan." If there are over 8 packs living in the same place, it is raised to a Tribe. Tribes are most likely to begin taking on the traits of a true civilization such as in the Twin-River Region. When conditions become unfavorable, Tribes will often separate and re-join when things get better. Family Packs all have the same structure: a matriarchal hierarchy with the eldest female/s at the top, and the younger females coming in descending order, with the youngest adult females coming in last. Unrelated adult males are not allowed within the "heart" of the territory, and when sons reach maturity they are driven out to rove on their own. Upon reaching Clan standard, adult sons are still pushed to disperse, however lone unrelated males are welcomed into the social order, though they are placed lower than the females automatically. When the group size reaches Tribe, both sons and unrelated males can be welcomed. Males typically remain lower on the ladder than all females; however, males native to the Tribe can often find themselves dominating female peers if their mother is higher-ranking than them, suggesting a social structure similar to spotted hyenas. However, rank is not decided by strength or aggression; rather it is decided by cohesion, and cooperation. Friendlier, more sociable individuals are more likely to rank higher than more aggressive ones. Hunting & Foraging Hunting tactics change depending on the prey being hunted; small and fast game is stalked and pounced on like domestic cats and cheetahs. Larger, slower game is chased over a long period of time. Particularly large and aggressive quarry is pursued using group cohesion, similar to primitive hunters and lionesses, where the prey is surrounded and ambushed from all sides, or chased into a trap of waiting attackers. Teeth and hind claws are the most used weapons; bani suffocate their prey with a bite to the front of the throat, and grasp onto large prey with their dexterous forepaws. When foraging for plant-based sustenance, even small packs will branch into smaller groups of twos or threes, raiding berry bushes and fruit trees. They use their long, handlike forepaws to pick fruits and berries off of branches, dig up roots and tubers, and search for honey and sleeping prey in burrows and hollows. Reproduction and Development Bani are able to mate year-round. They go through estrus cycles, with episodes lasting 3-7 days. The timelapse between episodes are approximately 2 months in length, with the lapse growing more predictable the older the individual gets. Females are most fertile between 25 and 40, reaching menopause at 45. Long before estrus, males will court females with acts of kindness: leaving gifts, cuddling, grooming, and generally spending a lot of quiet time around their intended. There appears to be an element of "officialization"; if a couple spends enough time together (typically spanning several years), males will lose interest in the female and leave the couple be. Sometimes this officialization is gift-giving, sharing a den, copulation, or isolation; however sometimes there is an invisible threshold crossed. Some females never achieve this, instead jumping from male to male at quick pace, with males doing the same. Same-sex pairs are almost more common than opposing-sex pairs. Females can copulate both in and out of estrus, and there is no risk of pregnancy except during the 3-7 days of receptiveness. Out-of-estrus coupling seems to strengthen the bond between partners, and at the very least increase trust for estrus. Same-sex female pairs will see one female experience a stronger estrus than the other, prompting only one female to get pregnant most of the time. Same-sex male pairs will see both males take interest in the same female. Opposing-sex couples will often seek asylum in privacy, and will remain private until the female's estrus ends. Gestation lasts 4-4.5 months. During the first 2-month bimester, the female will not be visibly pregnant; however fur along the belly will grow plush and long, and the teats will swell until they are visible. During the second bimester, the belly will begin to expand, and the female will seek privacy. Females often dig temporary dens under logs, rocks, trees, or repurpose old dens made by other animals or other mothers who have since abandoned them. The den is lined with moss, grass, feathers and fur. At the end of gestation, 2-3 kittens are born, though 8 have been recorded in a single litter. Cubs weigh between 1-2lbs at birth and are born nearly blind and deaf. Newborn cubs react to strong changes in light and sudden, loud sounds, suggesting some auditory and visual processing. Cubs are born with dark greyish-blue eyes, and their fur is covered in dark, black, smudgy spots that disappear in maturity. They are born toothless and with a large fluffy mantle, a mane of silvery-blue hair growing from the forehead to the base of the tail. Before 3 days of age cubs' eyes are often crossed or walled. After 3 days, the ability to focus develops and the eyes will begin to track movement semi-accurately. Around the same time, ears will begin swiveling and twitching at noises. When cubs are born, females are almost entirely isolated, brought food by close female relatives. Cubs do not begin to learn to walk until approximately 1 year of age, where they will begin the crawling stage. In this stage, cubs will have well-developed forelimbs, but poorly-developed hind limbs. This causes a phenomenon called "sealing," where the cubs are unable to pull their hind legs beneath their bodies and instead drag them like a seal. At 2 years of age, cubs have learned to walk properly and have begun the process of running. At this point the first roots of language have come down, and cubs will begin to lose their chattering and begin speaking in a more structured way. At this age, their eyes begin to change from dark blue to their adult color (brown, hazel, green, blue). It is during this time that their mothers bring them to the community den, where they meet the other cubs and the rest of their social group. However, at night their mother will return them to their whelping den to sleep. Cubs at and beyond 2 will begin the weaning process, showing more interest in fresh meat, though still supplemented by milk. At four years, most cubs have successfully weaned and eat purely solids. After the weaning process is completed, the cubs are permanently moved to the communal den. The cub learns much of the social norms of the group during this next four years. Much of what the cub learns at this child stage is what the cub's social abilities will look like in adulthood. Language skills have improved at this point and they are formulating simple sentences. At approximately 5 years of age, cubs will begin stalking, pouncing and wrestling and can be seen chasing very small game, though they cannot catch them. The youngest cub ever orphaned that survived to adulthood was 6 years of age. At this age, cubs shed their baby fur and begin growing into their new adult coat. Cubs reach sexual development at 9-10 years, and this development continues until 11-12 years. During this period, females experience their first estrus. This is the most intense a female will experience, and any matings during this time cannot result in pregnancy, as the female cannot ovulate. Females typically begin ovulating at 13+ years of age, while males are capable of fathering cubs as soon as they finish puberty. Dispersal behavior typically starts at 14-18 years of age for males, while in females it starts between 17 and 20 years. Dispersal females tend to range close to their birthplace, while males will rove far and wide, rarely ever coming back. Most bani appear to prefer mates their own age, with the common age gap being 5 years or less of difference. This threshold is looser if the individuals have no social connection or, alternatively, no choice. In large social groups, individuals who consistently mate with those younger than themselves see a sharp decrease in copulation and reproductive success. There have been several occasions where mothers and sisters have killed a young-female-loving male for showing interest in their family member, and vice versa for sons and females. INTELLIGENCE Bani are highly intelligent and social creatures on par with fully adult human beings. They prefer to live in large, complex social groups, despite being able to function finely in smaller ones. They are capable of using communication systems to exchange ideas, express emotions, and highly specialized organization. Despite a similar "blueprint," no two bani groups look alike, even when they are direct territorial neighbors. The size of bani groups ranges from 2 to 10 to even into the hundreds, and very rarely reaching the thousands. Bani develop deep and convoluted cultures in order to better cope with their social and physical environment, and religious activity is not uncommon in these groups. Language Bani language is just as complicated and has just as many abilities as the languages of humans. They share an almost equal vocabulary of sounds, and small shreds of human languages still permeate in various groups, though they are difficult to notice. All languages share the ability of displacement, or talking about something/someone that isn't physically present. There has been only one record of writing in bani culture as of right now, in the Twin-River Valley civilization. However, there is still physical and visual communication; any group with deaf or HOH members are found to be far more physical in their gestures, especially with the individual/s in question. On the contrary, groups with blind or visually impaired members will see a sharp increase in noise, even at the cost of hunts. Territory markers are also counted as visual communication; they often use a series of clawmarks and symbolism in items placed to indicate their territory (such as skulls, painted stones, and specially-arranged sticks). Gender Roles Due to their origins being influenced directly by humans, bani found themselves possessing gender roles. However, when given free range to develop on Neurde, they quickly found their own stride in loose matriarchy, which grew stricter with larger groups. Females - especially those with large families or otherwise influenes - rank higher and find themselves saddled with more power. In some societies this is stronger than others; in some groups males are given equal treatment and the matriarchy seemingly disappears; in others it is enforced with violence, and males are bullied until they are littered with scars and bleeding ears; and in the center, the matriarchy is gently upheld by expectations, with females being a substantial % more likely to step forward and take initiative, and males more likely to follow orders than give them. The most common is the latter. Kinship The "first brick" of bani organization is the family unit. The most powerful/longlasting is through mother-daughter, though fathers and brothers are valued as well. These units typically consist of an elder female, her daughters, and her daughter's adolescent kittens. Family groups can grow to be significantly large in this manner, with the eldest female being the "top" of the hierarchy. Often, mating between groups is what causes them to come together, in shared interest of supporting the resulting offspring. Cubs can identify all the way up to great-grandmother from a very young age, and can identify those related to them even if they are not explicitly told. While not particularly pervasive or well-known, all bani seem to have an ingrained incest taboo, as any bani attempting to mate with close relation receives violent retaliation. Bani are capable of recognizing relation through adoption and emotional closeness. Ethnicities As groups grow, ethnic identities also grow. The two largest are the Dyotami civilization and the Nahr tribes, however smaller identities exist across their entire range. There is no seperated "race" yet, however ethnicities tend to have similar phenotypes (such as a group leaning toward a certain type of coloration such as tawny or isabelline). These groups share a language, cultural expectations and basic structure. Ethnicities can span several groups that do not necessarily belong to the "same" group, though they may have a communal name for themselves. Ethnicities often share oral stories and traditions, spiritual beliefs and general behaviors. Trade and Economics Though their societies are still young and growing, trade and economics already have a foothold in their lives in the form of barter. There are no recorded mediums of exchange (money). Food is traded for supplies, and vice versa. Most bani will specialize in something they're good at, such as weaving, hunting, tracking, or even fighting, and trade their abilities for the things they cannot acquire themselves. Trade is one of the primary connectors between otherwise unrelated groups, and - outside of mateship - is the primary reason two groups will end up joining together under one identity over time. Conflict and War Most conflict in bani lives never expand into full wars. They are typically spontaneous "spats" across territorial lines, but they are shortlived. Groups that conflict often, however, may escalate things into war. Warfare between bani is violent, shortlived and mostly ambush-based. Bani attack with primitive weaponry such as knives, fire, and their own teeth and claws. Most wars do not end in any particular gain save for expanding territory, and are mostly an attempt to get the other group to leave them alone. In the rare case that warfare is instigated for a particular gain, the conflict will typically be brought to the other group's main "base." Material Culture and Technology * Note: In this section, "X years ago" is relative to the year they made landfall, 2300, and the current year, 3300. So "36 years ago" would be equal to 3264. Bani began using tools in the natural Neurde landscape approximately 900 years ago. These tools were simple, involving knives made from carved/sharpened stones, antlers and bones. Large spearlike weapons were fashioned out of long sticks, and were used most often for fishing. Controlled usage of fire came shortly after this began, 760 years ago, or 140 years after the first recorded tool use. It is unknown how the bani discovered fire, however it can be assumed that a storm lit a forest or grassland on fire and the bani harvested the resulting flame. The discovery of agriculture - called the "Neoandric Revolution" - was relatively recent, only occuring 250 years ago. It is completely relegated to the Twin-River Valley area, within the Dyotami River-Valley Civilization. Body Culture While they do not need clothing like humans do, bani still have a similarly-developing body culture. Capes, leg-covers, gloves, socks, hoods and scarves are all common forms of clothing. Jewlery is also common, typically made out of bones, shells, feathers and the hides/body features of animals such as hooves, ears, antlers, and tails. Body painting is pervasive among many of the groups, typically to assist in hunting or display social status. Ear piercing is a rare but notable part of many cultures, often with teeth, bones, sharpened stones, or claws stuck through the bottom of the earlobe. 'Religion and Spirituality' Religious and spiritual behaviors have been recorded in detail among bani populations; however, it is unknown what these experiences are like for them, nor how these behaviors coalesce into group-wide religions. Over the course of bani existence on Neurde, several religious "strings" have been traced: the most common are religions involving elemental, most specifically water, fire, and sky. Fire is the most common of these three threads, with many groups often seen revering their flames or protecting it from other groups that do not harness it. For some, the social balance between those who specialize in fire-care and those who do not is quite skewed and can even come into bias or bullying of those who do not or cannot tend the fire. Art and Music The first recorded artwork on Neurde created by a bani was 2323. The painting was on a stone near where the ship carrying first-generation Neurdian bani made landfall, and depicted bani coming from the sky. This is most likely the first depiction of the landing from the bani's point of view. Painting has been a pervasive form of self expression ever since this point. More recently, musical instruments have been seen and openly used according to research. Drums made of wood and animal hides, bone flutes, and singing using their own voices have all been recorded. While there are no known instances of written language or literature yet, oral storytelling and music is an important part of bani culture and sociability, through which they communicate folklore and history. VOCALIZATIONS Bani have a wide range of sounds they can make, thanks to the unique shaping of their mouths and tongue. In their languages, most R's are rolled due to the hybridization of the R sound and the instinct/reflex to purr. Many A sounds are also registered as very hushed "yowls." They also utilize clicks, chirps, meows, growls and hisses to get their point across. Some of the most famous and identifiable vocalizations are the following: * GROWLS: made by pressing the tongue to the back of the throat and forcing air through it. Often indicates aggression. Words spoken in growls are often met with offense or submission. * YOWLING: a highly identifiable scream for any domestic cat owner. This is a sudden burst of high-pitched sound, often tapering into a low growl. Used in fights, or when startled/injured. Also used to get the attention of another individual. * SCREAMING: described as hauntingly human. A sound made by forcing air out of the lungs and tightening the larynx, raising the volume. This begins at a hushed note but quickly rises. Screaming and yowling can often mix together. * SPITTING: an indicator of dislike or dismissal. This is made by making a "p" sound with a hard puff of air through the lips. Spitting can also be used as an intimidation tactic when cornered. * MEOWING: the simplest and yet most versatile sound in the bani repertoire. A familiar sound for cat owners and cat lovers, this can be combined with nearly any other sound to create a new tone and meaning. Regardless of region, this is the main basis for language. * CHIRRUPING: a very cheetahlike sound. Made by opening the mouth and vibrating the larynx. Generally used to call cubs or to indicate subordinates, but not a sound of dominance. * PURRING: a highly identifiable sound for cat-lovers, this sound is made by keeping the mouth closed and rapidly vibrating the larynx using the hyoid bone. Used in a wide array of situations, from comfort to mating to high stress and grievous injury. The universal usage is self-soothing. * FALSE ROARING: a noise unique to bani. Uses the same mechanisms as a yowl, however the mouth movement mimics a roaring lion. This results in an almost howl-like call, something similar to a shortened dhole whistle. For this reason, a common nickname for this is "cuon-calling." Among the entire bani resume of sounds, the only ones they cannot make are T, F and S/C. These are typically replaced with K-sounds and short hisses, which are similar enough to go unnoticed in rapid usage. It is unknown why bani cannot make these sounds, however theories lie in the placement of their incisors, which all three sounds are dependent on. RELATIONSHIP WITH HUMANS Creation * Also Read:'' Creation Of The Bani. Bani were created, quote, "Preserve the genetic stamp of mankind on Neurde, if ever we were too late." The vote for government resources to be used on their creation was a low margin, winning by only 12 votes. The relationship between humans and bani were close and emotional, with researchers throwing small lab parties whenever a new milestone was hit. This relationship was only fully explored with Procyon, Luyten and Bellatrix. All three were said to have an automatic loyalty to their creators, if a mischevious one. They were shown to be easily encouraged by mere words or shows of affection such as hugs, kisses, petting, and praise. The first recorded sign of keeper-bani altruism was in Luyten, who spent three hours comforting a keeper during a nervous breakdown. It was thanks to Luyten that said keeper, who remained anonymous, was able to return to work after being given time to rest and recover. '''In Media' * Also Read: Official Media. After the success of the twin sisters and their mate, bani quickly permeated into culture. At first, depictions of them were licensed as company logos. A popular cigarette company used Procyon's runt son Perseus as the bad-tempered mascot. Another company, a bakery called Sweetie Bunnies, used Bellatrix as their own mascot. A television show called Where To Next? aired an episode about bani, explaining their origins and their eventual home on Neurde. Lutyen's eldest daughter Aries featured as both live-action and in an animated form, assisting in demonstrating the abilities of bani, most famously her incredible speed of 55mph, the fastest of the early bani. Aries appeared again in a movie, starring both as her adult self and her elderly mother. Her cousin and half-brother Heracles found his own fame as well. Firstly he was famous for being the first bani cub to ever be born on a livestream, and the firstborn of all the naturally-created bani cubs. Strangely, he also held the crown for the first intersex bani. While he had complete and functional male reproductive organs, he also had semi-productive ovaries. He sired over 30 cubs, none of which shared his unusual traits, suggesting it was not a genetic anomaly. Heracles underwent unpredictable estrus cycles and acted more female than male, often babysitting for cubs and attempting to nurse them, though he failed. Heracles was invited, along with his 30th daughter Artemis, to star on the pilot episode of Tomorrow's Sunset, a documentary about Neurde and its future. His full body was only seen once, but his vocalizations were used for many parts of the documentary, as he could achieve a wide range of tones befitting of several situations. SEE ALSO * Creation Of The Bani * History of Neurde